With Sir Jim Ratcliffe and INEOS' partial takeover at Old Trafford now confirmed, they are already looking to the summer, with their first confirmed target revealed this week.
Man Utd still struggling in front of goal
Whilst sitting sixth in the Premier League is far from a disaster, many Manchester United fans will be disappointed at the lack of goalmouth action for their side. Hitting the back of the net on just 35 occasions this season, the tally put up by the Red Devils is dwarfed by their biggest rivals, Man City and Liverpool, who have scored 58 and 59 goals respectively, while even teams below like Chelsea and Wolves have bagged more.
With the £72million man, Rasmus Hojlund appearing to have hit form, scoring seven in his last six league games, the onus is now on the rest of the attack to step up and give the Denmark international some support.
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Previous big money signings in the attacking third have failed to live up to expectations. Antony's £85million move to Manchester has now become a punchline with the Brazilian yet to score in the league this season despite starting on twelve occasions. Jadon Sancho has finally been freed of his torturous time in the north west, although he producing a nightmare performance for Borussia Dortmund this week.
The confirmation of the new ownership means that the chequebook will likely be open again this summer. Whilst previous big money moves have fallen flat on their face, it appears that the new owners are already courting a proven Premier League talent to change their fortunes.
Ratcliffe's first major target revealed
Speaking to GiveMeSport this week, journalist Ben Jacobs revealed that the "only categorical and endorsed target" of the new ownership is Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise. Jacobs suggests that Ratcliffe is looking to implement a new transfer strategy at Old Trafford, one driven towards acquiring young talents with a proven track record in England.
In Olise, Man United will be receiving a player capable of improving the side in his current capacity but with a ceiling higher than much of their existing talent. The Frenchman arrived at Crystal Palace in the summer of 2021 following a 19-goal-contribution season in the Championship with Reading.
His time in the topflight has seen Olise provide ten goals and nineteen assists for the Eagles as well as earn his first caps for France's Under 21's side. Compared to current attacking options at Erik ten Hag's disposal, Olise would be an instant upgrade.
Michael Olise
6
3
Marcus Rashford
5
2
Antony
0
0
Rasmus Hojlund
7
2
Alejandro Garnacho
5
3
At just 22 years of age, Olise is already rightfully touted as one of the most exciting talents in the league, with player-turned-pundit, Micah Richards, predicting that he will have a bright future.
"[Olise] is going to be world-class… he’s going to be a superstar. He’s that good. I remember watching him at the Etihad a couple of seasons ago. It’s not just his dribbling, it’s his decision-making – when to lay off the ball and his first touch is sublime. Yeah, he’s going to the very top.”
If Ratcliffe and INEOS are determined to shake up Man United's recruitment strategy, there would be few better players to go for than the English-born Frenchman.